It's gonna be a tough commute

Tuesday

Jan 31, 2017 at 9:35 AMJan 31, 2017 at 9:35 AM

Dan Mac Alpine ipswich@wickedlocal.com @ipswich_chron

Evening commuters should prepare for a snowy slog home and mariners should prepare for rough seas as the National Weather Service predicts a moderate snowstorm will start late this afternoon and continue through early tomorrow morning.

The Weather Service anticipates total snowfall of 4 to 6 inches for much of the area, with 2 to 4 inches in the western part of the state and 1 to 3 inches on the Cape and islands.

The forecast says snow will develop this afternoon from west to east, with a brief period of heavy snow possible late this afternoon and evening affecting the evening commute. Snowfall rates may reach 1 to 2 inches per hour for a brief time and snow will taper off from south to north overnight.

The Weather Service has posted a winter-weather advisory for all of southern New England through 7 a.m. tomorrow and a small craft advisory for mariners from the Connecticut-Rhode Island border through to the Massachusetts North Shore from 6 p.m. tonight to 6 p.m. Wednesday, with seas of 2 to 4 feet predicted.

A winter weather advisory for snow means periods of snow will primarily cause travel difficulties and warns drivers to be “prepared for snow-covered roads and limited visibilities” and urges drivers to “use caution while driving.”